The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-02
POPULAR SCIENCE.

A French horticulturist, Count du
Buysson, insures the growth of seeds so
old as to have a doubtful terminating
power by soaking them for thirty-six
hours in water containing a little guano
or other source of nitrogen.
At the San servola insane asylum,
reached by gondola from Venice, very
complete and scientific histories OF cases
are required and recorded. The skull
of every patient is accurately examined
and measured, no less than fifteen meas
urements being taken, according to the
Italian craneometrical system, and re-
corded in the history.
The photographers lens is more dis
cerning than the naked eye. A recent
photograph of painting by On
American artist shows that woman's
gown was first painted hue and texture
very different from that finally chosen,
the underlying brushwork appearing
plainly in the photograph, though not
seen by the most attentive observer OF
the orig ginal picture. In like manner
photography reveals stars that to the hu-
man eye are not distnguishable from
nebulous matter.
From all accounts of the "silver
snake" of Honduras it most resembles
quicksilver in its movement. One trav-
eler tells of specimen four inches long
and about the size of fence wire which
it was impossible to hold when taken in
the hands. The statement is repeated,
which is said to made on good authority,
that fowl often eat these snakes and
shortly after can have the pleasure OF
doing so again, as in few moments one
will wiggle through the aimentary canal
and can perform the feat many times
without firing.
Some men working in coal shaft at
Pana, Ill.,, came upon peculiar snake
that had apparently been blasted up by
the last shot that had been fired. 1t was
alive and coiled up in bunch when one
of the workmen disclosed it with
shovel. 1t had no eyes, apparently. The
laborers say that cavity was discovered !:
in large chunk of earth that was proba-
bly, the abiding place Of the snake ere 1t
was dislodged. 1t is claimed that the
snake could not in any way have fallen
in from the top since the fall would have
killed it. Thelength of this underground
reptile was perhaps two feet. 1t was
! sleek and beautifully spotted, but unlike
any known species on the surface.
Conformably to the laws of advance
and retreat of glaciers, it is said those IN
the valley of Chamounix, Switzerland, are
now beginning to advance. The lower
extremity of the Glacier des Blossoms Is
"not more than 5000 feet above the
level of the sea, and is going still lower.
During the last three years this lower ex-
tremity has advanced at the rate OF M
ty yards a year" 1t is said that "a
erotto cut out of the ice in May, 1868, a
Quarter of mile from the extremity, has
moved down more than sixty yards. AL
though other Alpine glaciers, which can
not be 80 definitely observed, are known
to be increasing in width and height, 1t
will require many years of the present
speed "before they occupy ground which
! within the memory of living persons they
once covered"
EPSON salt is the name given in phar-
macy to the hydrated sulphate of mag
nesia, which was obtained over two hun
dred years ago by evaporating the waters
of some mineral springs at EPSON, Eng
land. Sea water was afterward found to
contain it, the brine remaining after the
separation of the common salt consisting
| of the sulphate Of magnesia and the
chlorides of magnesium and calcium. 1t
was readily obtained by collecting the
first CRYSTALS which formed and washing
them with strong solution of the same
salt. An excellent quality is manufac-
! tured at Baltimore and Philadelphia from
the mineral magnesite, silicious hydrate
of magnesia, which is found in the SER
pentine of this region. The mineral, re-
! duced to powder, is dissolved in sui
! phuric acid. The product, after drying, is
, calcined in order to decompose the sui
rhate of iron. It is then dissolved in
water, and any iron present is precip,'
tated by sulphuret of lime. The crystals
of sulphatc of magnesia are separated
and dissolved again to complete their
nurifcation.